There are all kinds of ways to do the Miami Beach. First and no doubt foremost: you arrive, spread out your towel, plop yourself down, let it all out and take it all in.
Art Deco Tour. For example, there’s the two hour Art Deco Bike Tour. Or you can do the Walking and Cocktail Hour Tour. Even Airbnb will no doubt offer their own tours. A sure bet, if I had to decide, would be the Art Deco Walking Tour offered by the Miami Design Preservation League. https://www.viator.com/tours/Miami/The-Official-Art-Deco-Walking-Tour-by-the-Miami-Design-Preservation-League/d662-108578P2
Ocean Drive and Art Deco
The Preservation League’s tours take about an hour and a half. For info on the League see here: https://mdpl.org/ The guides will give you all kinds of information about the architecture and its history. They will no doubt touch on the preservation efforts, too. It wasn’t always everyone’s intention to conserve that history. Feel good, too, that the proceeds of your purchase go toward supporting preservation in the present.
You will also get admission to the Art Deco Museum. While you are there check out the gift shop. I had to control myself when I was in there.
There is also the option for a self guided tour. https://mdpl.org/tours/art-deco-architectural-audio-tour-self-guided/
The nice thing is that you buy the audio tour and then take it whenever you have the time or inclination to do so. I took a break for breakfast, then another break to sit in the green park in front of the buildings on Ocean Drive. I took even another when we got to the museum and gift shop.
The Betsy Hotel
That’s The Betsy Ross Hotel, in the photo above. Although around here people are happy to just call it The Betsy. It is not only one of the most highly recommended hotels in Miami, but an art deco piece in itself. It was built in 1942 by the architect L. Murray Dixon, responsible for many art deco buildings on Miami Beach. If I could spend a night in any of the hotels in Miami, this would be it.
But on this Sunday morning, The Betsy is where we began our own art deco self tour. We sat outside for coffee and breakfast. Just sit there leisurely and take it all in. I totally enjoyed the coming and goings of all the people from the hotel and from the park in front.
The Lifeguard Towers
Yes, be assured, there are lifeguards in Miami. They are extensively trained to know everything from CPR to understanding what changes/dangers may be going on in the ocean. They are there for locals and visitors alike, making sure we are all safe. It’s reassuring to know.
But, wow! What about all those lifeguard towers? You can find them spaced out between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. And they are all a riot of color! Purple and orange? I love it. Yellow, pink and orange are good, too. And they are all unique in their design
After the forces of Hurricane Andrews in 1991. many of the beach’s towers were destroyed. The architect William Lane was asked to design a few to replace them. Gratefully, post hurricane was a time when the city was bent on revival. A movement began. Thirty four towers are now spaced up and down the Miami beaches. All are in a colorful, outrageous Miami style.
Between the art deco buildings on Ocean Drive and the beach itself, there is a long strip of green park. Beyond that are the paths to the white sands. Take this short walk to check out some of the towers. They serve a good purpose (saving lives and such) and on top of that, so much fun. They are a certainly a thing to behold!
